Southeast Region News

Reading– The Pennsylvania Game Commission announced today that a scheduled road rehabilitation project on Ellendale Forge Road, in Middle Paxton Township, Dauphin County, will impact users of State Game Lands 211.

Construction on Ellendale Forge Road will require temporary road closures between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Tuesday October 26th and Wednesday October 27th. The closures will impact users attempting to access State Game Lands 211, from Stony Creek Road. The rehabilitation project will involve regrading of the road surface and improving storm water drainage along Ellendale Forge Road. The affected area will begin at the termination of Stony Creek Road, commencing east approximately 1-mile to the State Game Lands 211 Parking Area.

“This roadway provides access to the western end of State Game Lands 211, and the temporary closures are necessary to perform much needed repairs. Once the work is completed, the roadway will provide improved access to the western end of Stony Creek Valley,” said Game Commission Southeast Region Director Peter Sussenbach.

For further information you may contact the Southeast Region Office of the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 610-926-3136.

This coming hunting season, adults age 18 and older who want to try hunting for the first time will have an awesome opportunity to learn from experienced certified mentors during newly offered, adult-only mentored hunts at the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Lancaster and Lebanon counties. The two hunting opportunities offered, will include an adult mentored squirrel hunt, and an adult mentored bow hunt for deer. The squirrel hunt will be held on Saturday, September 18, and the bow hunt for deer will be held on Saturday, October 2, as well as the week of October 4- 9.

The Game Commission has partnered with the Pennsylvania Chapter of the Backcountry Hunters and Anglers to provide all necessary equipment, including experienced, certified mentors. Game Commission Information and Education Bureau Director, Steve Smith remarked, “The Pennsylvania Game Commission is pleased to offer this mentored hunt opportunity for new adult hunters to experience the excitement of squirrel and deer hunting through a fully-guided experience led by expert outdoor educators.”

A mandatory in-person training session will be held for all attendees the Sunday prior to each hunt. Participants will be treated to an all-encompassing hunting experience. During the pre-hunt instruction session, participants will learn about the biology, behavior, and habitat of their quarry; safe shooting and hunting techniques; game care; and favorite recipes to prepare and enjoy the harvest. “Getting afield in the early Fall to enjoy squirrel and deer hunts is a classic Pennsylvania tradition, one which we look forward to sharing with folks interested in learning how to hunt these species for the first time”, said Hunter Outreach Coordinator, Derek Stoner.

To apply for the special Mentored Adult Hunts at Middle Creek, interested individuals must first purchase a Mentored Adult Hunting Permit. Mentored Adult Hunting Permit may be purchased at any Pennsylvania hunting license issuing agent for $20.97, or online at www.huntfish.pa.gov. Applications for this exciting opportunity shall be submitted by emailing mentoredhunting@pa.gov. The application period is open through August 20, 2021. Participants will be selected through a random lottery drawing.

In Pennsylvania, hunting is a time-honored and cherished tradition, passed down from one generation to the next. In recent years however, the strong Pennsylvania hunting tradition has slowly eroded, and hunter numbers have been trending downward. From the banner years of the 1980’s where over 1.3 million general hunting licenses were sold, to present day license sales just shy of 900,000, the decline is more than a little concerning. For the Game Commission to continue managing Pennsylvania’s wildlife resources far into the future the trend must be reversed, and we need to recruit more hunters.

There’s one major obstacle that needs to be overcome to recruit new hunters, getting people to take the first step. Becoming a hunter can seem like a daunting task to some people, and without the advice and guidance of friends or family members experienced in hunting, it’s hard to know where to begin. This can discourage people from giving hunting a try. Nationwide, state wildlife agencies and conservation organizations have been working hard to recruit new hunters, and Pennsylvania is no exception. In recent years, numerous youth-only hunting opportunities have been authorized to recruit new hunters. Hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation efforts have been increased beyond the focus of encouraging youth participation. Recently, a greater emphasis has been placed on persuading adults to give hunting a try. The hope is that more Mentored Adult hunts like these will be held to provide greater support, encouragement, and guidance to first-time hunters.

Additional information about the Middle Creek Special Hunts can be found at the following link: https://www.pgc.pa.gov/HuntTrap/LicensesandPermits/Pages/Special-Hunt-Applications.aspx

The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area is located on the Lebanon/Lancaster county line, two miles south of Kleinfeltersville, PA.

If you have questions concerning the Mentored Adult Hunts, please email: mentoredhunting@pa.gov